


Origins

by tonight_aliv



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/F, I got really tired by the end of this I'm so sorry, Light Angst, Post-Canon, Roseali Week 2017, if you're anime-only I just don't know what to tell you, spoilers for the ending and the DLC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 03:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9953483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonight_aliv/pseuds/tonight_aliv
Summary: They all deal with the consequences of Sorey's answer in different ways... except for Rose, who doesn't seem to be dealing with it at all.





	

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY ROSEALI WEEK 2017! Here's to hoping I can write a little bit for all eight days...!

They decided to set up camp just inside the Elaine Ruins, still within sight of the pillar of light where Artorius' Throne once stood proudly. Their small group had split up silently after Alisha anounced her tearful thanks and resolve. Their comraderie allowed for the smallest confirmations: _we'll stay here for the night, to share in our grief and reaffirm our hopes for the possibility that has been given to us_.

Rose and Lailah left the cliffside first. They walked close together, their whispers close and breathy against the wind. Lailah held fast to a soft smile as they walked, subdued at the reality of the present but also alighting with so much pride. Her hands gently clasped in front of her as she offered to gather firewood. She'd had their entire journey to settle her feelings about this outcome, this and so many more. She'd had these last few months with Rose and Edna to settle on this truth, to make peace with it. Things would definitely turn out alright, she remembered-- it was a sentiment that Sorey had taught her, after all.

Rose did not dwell at the cliffside because it was not in her nature to dwell on things. She returned Lailah's smile with exuberence. Her nod of affirmation was still budding with energy, and she closed her eyes as she declared her intent to clear a campsite. Part of her wanted to glance back once more, at her precious friends, but she resisted. Lailah noticed-- Lailah nearly always noticed-- but she didn't comment. She took Rose's hand in hers and squeezed, her smile brightening, before Lailah stepped away toward a patch of forest.

The action was an assurance, the promise that everything would be okay conveyed in a simple touch. Rose watched Lailah walk away for a moment, her smile dimming only briefly before she caught herself. She could believe it. She wanted to. She would. This was okay. They were all together again, with Sorey watching over them. Surely, this was okay.

She spun around on her heel with exuberence, her arms spread wide and her leg kicked out with the momentum. The bright smile resumed on her face as she shouted toward the group. Her eyes brightened when they all turned to look at her expectantly.

"I'm setting up camp!" Rose shouted too loudly, "First one back gets to decide what's for dinner!"

Edna scoffed and gracefully stood, twirling her umbrella open in one effortless motion, "Doesn't that just mean the first one back has to make dinner for everyone?"

Rose's smile grew, but she otherwise pretended not to hear. She cheered as she turned, setting off once again for the shelter of the ruins. She heard Zavied's unmistakable laughter on the breeze and winked at

Lailah. Everything was okay. Everyone would be okay, she was sure.

Zavied's laughter mellowed into a soft smile as he watched her walk away. He made brief eye-contact wil Lailah across the field, her hands covering her mouth to hide her mirth at the commonplace interaction. They smirked at each other before turning away, sharing small secrets in that contact that often left Zaveid wondering what all Lailah had seen, had known about the world. The normalcy in it was comforting, despite the notion that anything to accumulate in less than a few years being considered normal going against everything he had ever known.

He turned toward the other three remaining at the cliffs. Edna had deflated, her umbrella pulling closed once again and poking at the pebbles near her feet. He snorted at her distraction, unable to hold it back, and had to quickly dodge her jabs with the umbrella's tip. His hands flew up in quick surrender, and she relented, pulling her gaze again toward Mikleo.

Worry. It was an expression that she wore all too often. Zavied placed it easily, and his smile fell softer.

"Let's go, Lady Edna. He's not going to do anything stupid," he said, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. He flashed a large grin as all eyes turned to him.

Her responding "shut up, idiot" was nearly drowned out by Mikleo's indignant squeak. Alisha's reddened face turned toward him in surprise before a small bout of polite giggles overtook her. Mikleo hid his face in his hands at the sound, and Zavied found himself joining in with his own laughter.

"I'm fine, Edna," Mikleo muttered between his palms as the laughter quieted. He pulled his face out of his hands softly, his flushed cheeks holding up a slight smile as he looked each of them in the eye. He lingered on Alisha for a breath that Zavied didn't miss.

"See? What'd I tell 'ya," Zavied pulled his arm around Edna's shoulders, noting with amusement how she didn't flinch away, "Mik-boy is fine. Now let's all get back to camp before Rose decides that dinner is leftover Mabo Curry buns. Again."

She broke out of his hold after a few steps, but continued ahead in the direction Rose had disappeared, "Then why don't you go catch something else to eat. It's about all you'd be good for, anyway."

Her tone was soft and teasing, spurring on Zavied's theatrics, "Anything for my Lady Edna to beseech upon a proper meal after all that she hath been put through--"

"Oh would you shut up!" she interrupted, but her smile lingered, and Zavied counted it as a victory as he skipped after her. He threw a quick wink over his shoulder at Mikleo, who rolled his eyes. Yeah, everything would be okay from here.

Mikleo shifted his weight as he watched the two leave, a hand settling naturally on his hip. Fondness overtook his expression as he watched them banter. He had been out here a lot these last few months, long enough to have memorized the curves of the cliffs and the winding patches of grass. He had wandered every path between the village and this cliff, the ruins and passages, the circumference of the crater itself.

But in this moment, with the six of them together, everything felt different. There was new life here, new hopes spurring against the rocks, already looking forward to the next great adventure that awaited them all.

He turned to Alisha, to the sorrow regaining traction in her eyes, and he reached out a hand, "Alisha, will you walk with me for a moment?"

She startled out of her thoughts with a jump, turning to Mikleo with wide eyes. Her breath shuddered when she regarded his expression, his outstretched hand, before she let herself exhale slowly. Her eyelids dropped gently and her hand reached slowly, gently into Mikleo's. When she opened her eyes again, a sad smile overtook her.

"I... I heard. About everything," she said reluctantly as they began to walk away from the cliff, hand in hand, "And I know that you are hurting right now, so I will not blame you for resenting me, Mikleo-sama."

Mikleo flinched, but he held her hand tighter, "I don't resent you at all, Alisha."

"But-!" she started, but her outburst fell away with a sigh. Her gaze caught on lonesome white flowers as silence grew between them. Her hand slacked in Mikleo's, but he held her still, and the lump in her chest threatened to overwhelm her once again.

"I am greatful to you," he said quietly, carefully. "I admire you. I envy you. I want to help you. I seek solace in our friendship. I revere your perspective and your opinions."

He stopped walking, allowing her to properly look at him, "I would only resent your thinking that you and I were anything less than friends, Alisha. Because you are a very precious friend, to both of us. To all of us. Do you understand?"

Alisha pulled her hand out of Mikleo's grip at last, folding her arms in on herself as she batted away to tears that pooled at the corners of her eyes. She nodded enthusiastically, her face growing redder in embarrassment at her emotional display, but it only seemed to relax Mikleo all the more. She sniffed a hiccup before forcing deep breaths past the pressure in her chest, and she finally met Mikleo's eyes.

"Does it hurt?" she said vaguely, hoping that Mikleo would understand.

His hand rose to hide his mouth as he considered. He eyed the rockface behind her, gaze distant and growing with emotion. The hand covering his face slowly slid across his jaw, finally resting at the back of his neck. He bit his lower lip, and Alisha subconsciously mirrored the movement.

He nodded slowly, his eyes starting to redden.

Alisha stepped forward and enveloped him in a tight hug. They both coughed small sobs into each other's shoulder. Their sniffles slowly grew to quiet giggles, and Mikleo let his arms softly hold Alisha.

"Y-yeah," he said, "yeah, it hurts."

Alisha hummed as Mikleo relaxed. They took their time composing themselves, but before long Mikleo pulled away with another soft smile. His face was probably as red as Alisha knew hers was. Mikleo held their hands together between them, regarding her for another small moment.

"Are you okay?"

Alisha nodded, smiling brightly. The sight made Mikleo's grow before he released their hands.

"Then I'll leave you two," he said louder with a pointed, playful look over Alisha's shoulder, "I want to take one last check of the seals before returning to camp."

"Well _excuse me_ for coming to check on you two!" Alisha turned in time to see Rose stomping toward them, "I didn't mean to interrupt your little touchy-feely conversation there, but the food's getting cold, so let's go!"

Rose took Alisha's hand without further comment and started to drag her back toward camp. Alisha stumbled in her heels, her footing uneven with the force of Rose's determination. She spared a helpless glance back at Mikleo, who had doubled over laughing at the sight. Alisha felt her own small laugh pull through her lips, trying to hide it behind her free hand without much success.

"R-Rose!" she stuttered through her giggles, "Rose, stop pulling me!"

If anything, Rose tugged her along more forcefully, "Stop laughing! This is serious!"

"Rose!" Alisha yelled as she pulled her hand away, forcing Rose to turn around and face her. When their eyes met, Alisha spared but a moment before throwing her arms around a head of bright red hair. Rose tensed against Alisha, and Alisha's laughter grew only louder for the reaction.

"I can't believe you're jealous of Mikleo!" Alisha said into Rose's shoulder, shaking her head harshly to emphasize her disbelief.

Rose's hands flew up in surrender, her face growing warm at the accusation, "W-Wh-What?!"

Alisha pulled back slightly, her hands still clasping at Rose's shoulders. "Mikleo! You're jealous of Mikleo!" she yelled with delight sparkling in her eyes.

"I am not!" Rose yelled back, her eyes looking anywhere but at Alisha's.

"Prove it, then!" Alisha challenged, smugness finally pulling her smile into a smirk at Rose's actions.

Rose turned her head to unleash a frustrated scream at the sunset that surrounded them. Alisha giggled at her antics, but her thumbs began to rub reassuring circles into Rose's shoulders. Rose drew a shaky breath as she looked back down at Alisha, at her revealing corset and her full mini skirt, at her elbow-length gloves and rediculous fucking hat. She looked at Alisha, her features no longer framed by curled blonde hair, cheeks red from laughter and tears alike, her green eyes glistening with tears of all kinds.

"Okay," she said softly as she leaned toward Alisha, something like understanding and acknowledgment passing in their eye contact. Rose watched Alisha's eyes slowly draw closed, watched her face tilt ever so slightly, watched her feverish flush grow more pronounced...

and Rose kissed her, soft and fleeting, before pulling back, before breathing once again.

"M-maybe a little jealous," Rose amended as she turned back toward camp, setting off with Alisha close behind. 

"Just a tiny bit," Alisha agreed, smiling brightly.


End file.
